Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi’s appointment as special assistant to the prime minister.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition filed by former interior minister Sheikh Rashid challanging Abbasi’s appointment as a SAPM.
The court summoned the former minister to the rostrum and regretted the accusations made against court at public gatherings. “Do you and your ally PTI have confidence in the Islamabad High Court?” asked the IHC CJ.
Justice Minallah said important and big cases are pending in the high court like the cases of missing persons and Baloch students.
Later, the court issued notices to the federation through the Cabinet division secretary and Hanif Abbasi. The case has been adjourned till May 17.
The petitioner contended that Abbasi, “a person with a criminal conviction, particularly a conviction for dealing in narcotics which is an offence involving ‘moral turpitude’,” is unsuitable to hold such a position.
